


Jophen + Ivsuh Oneshots

by SaiphTheSwordmaster



Category: Video Blogging RPF, actuallyoddplan
Genre: Angst, Aromantic Asexual Jay, F/M, First Dates, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Ivu and Hosuh Parent AU, M/M, No Smut, Original Character(s), Stephen and Jo have a kid too, Stephen knows what he wants, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:02:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25254289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaiphTheSwordmaster/pseuds/SaiphTheSwordmaster
Summary: Someone had to do it. I mean, this pairing is absolute gold. That stream might have hurt at some points, but it was well worth it. If Stephen finds this, all I have to say is that you did this to yourself. If Jo does, I apologize for any cringe. Will also include Ivsuh. I will try to include some Gavin x His Girlfriend, though it will be difficult as she doesn't have a public name. I take requests, so if you have one, feel free to comment. I will do anything that isn't smut because no. Bonk! Go to horny jail. Character death is fine. (Though it won't be permanent. I love these idiots too much to kill them off for very long.) Enjoy!
Relationships: Gavin/His Girlfriend, Ivu | Zerinchii/Hosuh Lee, Joseph Catalanello/Stephen Ng
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	1. River

River

“Well this sucks,” Jo said.

Stephen was beside himself. He only wanted a nice day out with his crush. He only wanted to take a couple of kayaks down the river and finally ask him out.

Sure the two had flirted a lot, but Stephen didn’t know if Jo actually liked him or if he just considered him a good friend. 

He didn’t mean to accidentally fall out of his kayak and lose his paddle. And he certainly didn’t mean to knock Jo out of his kayak and make him lose his kayak.

They were now stuck at the mercy of the river with no paddles, no way to get to shore, and shivering from the cold of being soaked.

“Yeah, you think?” He snapped.

Jo laughed, “Don’t be grumpy. We’ll figure this out,” He said, “Where are we?”

Stephen shrugged dramatically, “Who knows? We could be in Narnia for all I care. I just want to get off this stupid ass kayak!” He snapped.

“Think of it like the Raft game. How did you get to shore then?” Jo encouraged him.

“Sharks! We need to look out for sharks!” Stephen cried.

“This is a river, Stephen. There are no sharks,” He said.

His eyes narrowed, “That’s what they want you to think,” He whispered.

Obviously thinking he was joking, Jo laughed.

He looked so cute that Stephen couldn’t help but get distracted. He stared at Jo dreamily. Why did he have to look so adorable when he was laughing?

“Stephen?” 

He blinked, “Huh? What is it?” He asked.

He frowned, “Are you okay?” 

He scowled, “Fan-Freakin’-tastic, Jo. Why do you ask?” He was in a bad mood. Considering his circumstances, could you blame him?

“You were staring at me for a long time. And your face was a little red. Did you get sunburnt?” Jo asked.

Stephen rolled his eyes, “Sunburnt, really? Whatever. We need to figure out how to get out of here,”

Jo nodded, “Yeah. I was thinking maybe I could catch onto a branch and try to slow us down,” He said. 

Stephen looked at all of the branches, which were currently pretty far from the two kayaks. Not to mention the fact that the current was pretty strong.

He tried to warn Jo against it, but it was too late. He was already leaning so far that he was nearly falling out.

“Almost… Got it,” He grunted, straining to grab the upcoming branch.

Stephen’s heart leapt into his throat, “Jo! What are you doing, you idiot! You’re going to fall!” He yelped.

Jo turned around, “What?”  
Stephen watched with horror as Jo was smacked in the head by the branch he was trying to grab. He fell into the river and sank like a stone.

That idiot! Why did he turn around! Damn it, damn it, damn it! He had to save him. If he died here, Stephen would never forgive himself.

“JO!” He screamed, diving after him.

He ignored the sand stinging his eyes as he looked around desperately.

Soon, he found him. From the looks of it, he was unconscious. He swam as fast as he could, gathering the unconscious man in his arms. If he hadn’t been underwater, he would’ve been hyperventilating.

Stephen broke the surface, wasting no time in running to the shore. He noticed with dread that Jo’s forehead was bleeding.

“Don’t worry, idiot. Stephen’s going to save you,” He promised, dropping him on the ground.

Stephen checked for a pulse, faint but steady. He wasn’t dead. That was a start. Next he checked for breathing. None. His heart skipped a beat, but he forced himself to stay calm.

He needed to perform CPR. He was certified. It was required for aspiring teachers, but he hoped he would never need to do it.

He started with the first step, chest compressions. He positioned his hands on Jo’s chest and began pressing down.

It was exhausting, but he persisted. Once he had completed the 30 chest compressions, he took a small break to catch his breath.

He knew what came next, two rescue breaths. The idea made him rather embarrassed, but he didn’t care.

He would do anything to save him.

He felt like everything was moving in slow motion as he prepared to give Jo the necessary air.

Just as his lips were about to meet Jo’s, he sat up and coughed violently, expelling water from his lungs. 

Stephen was knocked backwards, a sharp pain in his forehead. Jo gasped for breath, “What? Where? Stephen! Are you okay?” He asked.

Stephen was broken out of his stupor, relief nearly crushing him, “You’re alive!” He cried, clinging onto Jo.

He was confused, “What happened? The last thing I remember is leaning to grab a branch and… Oh,” He said, remembering what happened.

He looked at Stephen, feeling guilty, “I’m sorry about that. Making you have to save me and all,” He said.

Stephen shook his head, “Don’t apologize. Don’t do that. Of course I saved you, I love you,” He said without thinking.

Jo’s breath caught in his throat. Was Stephen being serious? He said the words ‘I love you’ before, but he never knew if he was joking or not.

Was that why he brought him out here?

God, why does everything Stephen does make his head spin so much? 

Stephen was worried. Jo hadn’t talked in a while. He knew he was still breathing, he was still clinging onto him like a spider monkey. 

“Are you-” He began.

“I love you too,” Jo blurted. 

Now it was Stephen’s turn to be shocked, “What?” He managed.

Jo was surprised, “Why are you surprised? You’re the great Stephen. Everyone loves you. You love yourself more than you love anything,” He pointed out.

“Not true,” Stephen said, “I love you more than I love anything. Back there, I- I would’ve done anything to save you,”

“Wow. Stephen loves something more than himself? I have a lot of power over you,” He mused, grinning.

Stephen rolled his eyes, “Just shut up and kiss me, you moron,” He said.

Jo smirked, blushing, “Deal,” He said, leaning in to kiss Stephen.

Their lips met and they shared a kiss that left the both of them wanting more.

Regardless, Stephen pulled away.

Jo wasn’t happy, and tried to chase his lips. Stephen stopped him with a finger, “Oh no you don’t. You just almost drowned. You need your air,” He pointed out.

“But, Stephen-” He whined.

“Nope. I’m calling Gavin to come get us out of the woods. Don’t move!” He ordered.

Jo sighed, “Fine,”

Stephen took his phone out of his pocket, luckily it was waterproof, and dialed his brother’s number.

He answered on the third ring, “Stephen? What’s up?” He asked.

“I need you to come pick us up. Jo hit his head and almost drowned. I did kiss him, though, so that’s a plus. I’ll send you my approximate location. Kay thanks bye!” He said, going to hang up.

“What? Don’t hang up on me, man! What the hell did you-” Gavin was cut off by Stephen hanging up.

He went back to Jo, “I called him!” He announced.

“Great, but we’re going to need to find a road if he’s going to pick us up,” Jo pointed out, trying to get up.

Stephen shut that down fast, “Don’t move, you idiot! You hit your head! You could hurt yourself,” He pointed out.

“How am I supposed to get around if I can’t move?” He demanded.

Stephen grinned, “I’ll carry you,” He declared, scooping him up.

Jo rolled his eyes, “My hero,” He said.

He was trying to be sarcastic, but couldn’t hide his blush. 

Stephen quickly found a road, and Gavin picked them up. He was annoyed about it, but more relieved that his brother and friend were okay.

He was also grateful that they finally got together.

It wasn’t until later, when Jo was resting on the couch, that Stephen realized something.

“Shit! The kayaks!”

The two exchanged a glance and burst out laughing.

What a first date they had.


	2. Jophen vs IKEA

I’m sure you’ve heard of the five stages of grief. They can be applied to many situations of loss and general misfortune. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance can be applied to most emotional situations.

As such, let’s see how it can be applied to the time Jo and Stephen got badly lost in an IKEA.

**Stage One: Denial**

“We’re not lost!” Stephen insisted for the third time that afternoon, “We’re just taking the-”

Jo glared at his boyfriend, “Don’t you dare say the words, ‘Scenic Route.’ We are lost in an IKEA. There is no scenic route!” 

“There is if you use your imagination,” Stephen countered.

He rolled his eyes, “I’m going to go ask for directions,” He said. A logical conclusion, considering the fact that they were badly lost.

Unfortunately, he was dating an idiot. 

Stephen grabbed his arm, “No! We’re not lost. And even if we were, we wouldn’t need to ask for directions. Just let my natural sense of direction guide us,” He said, closing his eyes for effect.

Jo sighed, “Your natural sense of direction is what got us lost in the first place, but alright. I’ll humor you,” He said.

He grinned, “You won’t regret this!” He promised.

“Oh, I already do,” Jo reassured him.

**Stage Two: Anger**

Stephen was getting agitated. The two of them had been wandering around in what seemed like a big circle for the past ten minutes.

He stopped in front of a very familiar looking display, realizing that the two of them had been walking in a big circle.

Enraged, he kicked a shelf, “Fuck!” He swore, “We’ve been going in a circle!” 

Jo nodded, “Yes, it seems we have. Can I go ask for directions now, or-” 

Stephen wasn’t listening, “You know what? Fuck you, IKEA! No one likes your maze stores! Everything written in stupid ass Sweedish! Sweden can suck my dick! You hear that! Get fucked, all of you!” He was kicking and screaming like a toddler.

Jo noticed the people staring and leading their children away, but he opted to ignore them.

“Yes, dear. Show IKEA who’s boss,” He said, having long given up on the idea of calming his rage filled partner down. At this point, he was just trying to figure out a way to ask for directions without him figuring out what he was doing.

After about five minutes, Stephen finally calmed down. 

“Can I ask for-” Jo began.

Stephen glared at him, “Don’t you dare,” 

**Stage Three: Bargaining**

Stephen took a deep breath and stood up, brushing himself off. Jo could tell that he was thinking rationally again.

“Sorry about that. I got angry. I have a plan to get us out of here,” He promised.

“Is it swallowing your pride and asking one of the nice employees to show us the way out?” Jo asked, hopefully.

Stephen gave him a look, “Are you crazy? Stephen is the best Stephen. He doesn’t need help with anything,” He said.

He sighed, “What’s your plan?” 

“Okay, do you remember that lady who got stuck in a maze, so she put her hand on the wall and only ever turned left?” He asked.

“What does that have to do with anything?” He said. 

He rolled his eyes, “Oh my god, Jo, you idiot. Obviously if we do the same thing, then we’ll eventually find our way out of here. It’s foolproof!” He declared.

Jo was more than a little skeptical of that claim, but decided to go along with it. At this point, he was just sticking with Stephen out of loyalty and entertainment.

So, when Stephen put his hand on the wall and started to walk, Jo didn’t argue. 

After all, they had to get out of this place at some point. Whether it be Stephen’s ridiculous strategy actually working or them getting kicked, they wouldn’t be in here for much longer.

**Stage Four: Depression**

After fifteen minutes of walking with their hands running on the wall, Stephen saw a glimmer of hope.

He saw a gleam of what he thought was natural light, “There! I think we’re close!” He exclaimed, abandoning the wall and running.

Jo followed him. Based on their placement in the store, he highly doubted they reached an exit, but he didn’t want to lose his partner at this point. He didn’t want to know what would happen if Stephen was lost in an IKEA  _ alone.  _

He rounded the corner to see Stephen facing a dead end. His devastation was clear even from this distance. 

Feeling slightly bad for him, he put a hand on his shoulder, “Hey, Stephen?”  
He whipped around, his face was ashen with his failure, “Jo. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get us lost,” He said.

Okay, now he felt really bad, “Hey, it’s okay. Here, I’ll go ask-” He began.

Stephen held up a hand to stop him, “No. Give it to me straight, Jo. We’re going to die here, aren’t we? I need to call Gavin and tell him I love him!” He said.

Jo stared at him for a few seconds before deciding to try to find someone to ask directions.

Meanwhile, Stephen was texting Gavin.

_ Gavin, I’m sorry. I hate that it has to end this way. You were a good brother. I love you. _

**_What do you mean? What’s wrong!? Are you okay?_ **

_ We had a good run. Tell Knife Party that I’ve always loved them despite everything I said. Tell Hosuh that he’s my best friend. _

**_Stephen?! You’re scaring me! Are you dying?_ **

_ Goodbye, brother. _

**_Where are you right now?!_** ** _  
_****_Hey! Answer the phone!_**

**_OH MY GOD STEPHEN PLEASE DONT DIE ON ME!_ **

**_STEVE?!_** ** _  
_****_IM CALLING JO YOUD BETTER NOT BE DEAD_** ** _  
_****_Okay, I called Jo. He says you’re stuck in an IKEA._**

**_What the fuck dude, don’t scare me like that!_ **

**_Did you ask for directions?_** ** _  
_**_Wow, Gavin. How dare you speak to your brother like that while he’s on his deathbed!_

**_Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m going to talk to Jo. I swear to god, if you fucking do that to me again I’ll make every murder spree your character has ever done look like a fucking joke._ **

As Jo looked for an employee to ask directions from, he received a frantic phone call from Gavin, “Hey, Jo? Is Stephen with you?” He asked.

“Yeah, why? Is everything okay?” He asked.

“He just texted me. I- I think something’s wrong. He’s talking like he’s about to die and he hasn’t been answering my calls,” He said, trying to hide the way his voice was shaking.

Jo sighed. Of course he sent his poor brother into a panic, “Don’t worry about it. We’re lost in an IKEA. The idiot just thinks he’s dying,” He said.

“Are you serious? Oh my god, that dumbass scared the hell out of me!” Gavin said, sounding more relieved than angry, “Okay, I have to go tell Hosuh not to call the police. Bye,” He said.

“Bye,” Jo replied.

He decided to forsake his search for an employee to get Stephen. He forgot how dangerous it could be to leave him alone.

He found him curled up in a ball in the aisle. He felt a little guilty, “Hey, Stephen? Are you okay?” He asked.

Stephen looked up with dead eyes, “God is dead. Time is an illusion. IKEAs are evil. Fuck my life,” He said.

Jo sighed, “You’re going to be fine, Stephen. Let’s go,” He said, grabbing his collar and straight up dragging him through the store.

He whined the whole way, naturally.

**Stage Five: Acceptance**

Stephen suddenly stopped whining, and Jo looked behind him to make sure he wasn’t actually dead.

He found that instead of an expression of despair, he finally looked like a normal person again.

He got up and smiled, “I can’t believe how much of an idiot I was?” He laughed.

Jo laughed with relief, “So you’ll finally let me ask for directions?” He asked.

Stephen gave him a weird look, “What? No! I’m never leaving this place! It’s an IKEA. I have everything I need right here!” He said, “Beds, furniture, bathrooms, food… Somewhere! This place is great!”

Jo finally gave up, “You know what? Come on, we’re asking for directions,” He said.

“No way! We’ve come too far to go back now. This is our life now. We will get married in this store. We will have children in this store. We will die, side by side, in this goddamn store!” He declared.

Jo was almost crying at this point, “For the love of everything that’s holy, Stephen. Please just let me ask for help!” He begged.

“Don’t you dare, Jo! We’re ride or die in this relationship,” He said. 

Jo decided that he was too far gone to reason with, and began walking off to find an employee of the store.

Luckily for him, one approached him almost immediately, “Sir, are you by any chance with a purple haired man?” He asked.

Jo was half tempted to say,  _ No. Never seen him before in my life.  _ But he didn’t, “What did he do this time?” He asked.

“Well… One of my colleagues tried to escort him out, but he claimed that he lived here and is refusing to move. He's screaming, Fuck da police. The man is scaring children,” He said.

Jo stiffened. The police? Stephen wasn’t getting arrested, not on his watch. He nodded at the man, “Thank you for letting me know,” He said before heading in the opposite direction.

Stephen was clutching the shelf like it was a lifeline and screaming bloody muder about them having to pry his cold, dead body out of this establishment.

The situation was escalating fast, and Jo knew he would have a lot of trouble on his hands if Stephen was knocked out.

“Hey!” He shouted, grabbing all of their attention for a split second.

He pointed down the aisle, “What’s that? Over there!”   
They all flinched, looking down the aisle, and Jo took that opportunity to grab Stephen and get the hell out of there.

“I love you!” Stephen said, running beside him.

“You’d better!” Jo replied, “Without me, your sorry ass would’ve gotten tazed,” 

“Do you know the way out?” He asked.

Jo nodded, “More or less. Take a left here!” He said.

The two ran around the maze of a store, avoiding the employees and police officers.

At long last, they reached the exit. They ran through the parking lot and Jo flew in the driver’s seat, “Get in!” He shouted.

Stephen stopped dead in his tracks, “Wait! We forgot our shelf!” He said.

Jo was beside himself, “For the love of God, Stephen. Forget about the damn shelf and get in the car! They’re gaining on us!” He said.

When Stephen realized there was a mob chasing them, he jumped, “Oh, right!” And flew into the passenger's seat.

The two rode off into the sunset. Stephen the IKEA maniac and Jo his getaway driver would be a story passed down for many generations. They say the two might still be out there. Or maybe they found a new IKEA and are just waiting for their chance to strike again.

Needless to say, they never got their shelf.


	3. Proposal Parallels: dr34mie's Request

_ This story in particular is a request from  _ _ dr34mie _ _. “Stephen proposing and Jo getting really, really nervous.” I also added some Ivsuh in here, as a treat. Enjoy! And thank you for commenting. _

This chapter should probably be called, proposing and proposing for dumbasses. Essentially the big sanity difference between Ivsuh and Jophen. We’ll start with the couple that still has two brain cells to rub together.

Ivsuh

Well, this was it. Today was the day that Hosuh would finally propose to Ivu, his girlfriend and the love of his life.

He went out the day before with Stephen, who no longer had to lie low per the IKEA incident, for the both of them to buy rings. 

Stephen and Hosuh were best friends and each other’s oldest friend, so it was fitting that they were both planning to propose around the same time.

The two of them made a pact to propose at exactly 8:00 PM tonight and immediately text each other to say how it went.

Stephen asked if he was going to be the best man at Hosuh’s wedding. He pointed out that a wedding definitely wasn’t guaranteed. After all, Ivu might say no.

The reply to that was a deadpan one.  _ The day Ivu says no to your marriage proposal is the day you say no to a chance to meet Jaiden Animations.  _

That gave him a little more confidence, but he was still nervous.

I mean, what if she  _ did  _ say no?

What would happen then?  
He decided not to think about the what ifs, they were making him overthink this whole matter. It’s not that hard. All he had to do was get on one knee, say something heartfelt, ask the question, pull out the ring, and wait for her answer.

Stephen wasn’t worried, so why should he be?

Then again, Stephen never worried about anything. He was the great Stephen. Why should he be nervous? 

Hosuh laughed. Ha. Yeah right. He knew his friend better than that. No matter how much he pretended to be confident, he knew he was a nervous wreck.

He made a special dinner for the night. He hoped she wouldn’t be too suspicious, but it had to be perfect. Who cares if the meal took nearly three hours to prepare? Ivu was worth it.

Ivu smiled across the dinner table, “Hosuh? What are you laughing about?”

He blinked and realized where he was. Crap! He nearly gave himself away.

“O-Oh! Just something funny I thought of,” He said.

She raised an eyebrow, “You’re a terrible liar, Hosie. What’s up?” She asked.

He got more flustered by the nickname, “N-Nothing!”

She frowned, “It’s okay. You can tell me,” She said.

He blushed hard, looking down. There went his perfect proposal plan. He didn’t even have the ring! He was planning to surprise her later tonight, but now he was caught.

“U-Um. Ivu, I- I love you more than anything in the world. You’re the only one who can make my head spin and blush like a teenager,” He got out of his chair and on one knee. Ivu gasped.

“So that’s why I have to ask you this. Ivu Zerinchii, will you make me the happiest man in the world, and marry me?”

She beamed, “Finally! Of course I’ll marry you, stupid head!” She tackled him to the floor and kissed him.

Hosuh was a blushing mess, “W-Wow. I- Yes? Y-You’ll marry me?” He asked.

She nodded, “Yes!” She repeated.

“I- Really!? Wow. I have a- a ring somewhere. I was planning on surprising you later tonight,” He admitted.

Ivu giggled, “What were you planning?” She asked.

He smiled bashfully, “Well, I wanted to surprise you with a bottle of wine on the balcony. And, lo and behold, there’s a firework show going on at the park. I was going to propose at the finale,” He said.

She grinned, “That sounds like fun. We can still go watch it. It’ll be a wonderful evening, my fiance,” She said.

He flushed bright red, “I- I’m not used to the fiance thing,” He confessed.

She gave him a weird look, “What? Did you think I was going to say no? If you would’ve taken any longer to ask, I would’ve done it myself. You have nothing to be worried about,” She reassured him.

Hosuh looked at her like she hung the stars in the sky, “I don’t deserve you,” He said.

She put a finger against his lips, “Shush. You deserve the world, Hosie,” She said.

He smiled, “So do you, Iv. Let’s go watch that firework show,” He said, standing up.

He offered a hand to his now fiance.

She smirked at him, “I think I’d like to be carried, Mr. Future Husband,” 

He scooped her up in his arms, “As you wish, my love,”  
And so, the two went on the balcony, drank wine, and watched the show at the park.

That, kids, is a nearly flawless marriage proposal. Now, let’s see how Stephen handles this.

Jophen

Stephen’s entire body shook as he rode the subway home. He pretended to be confident when Hosuh was there, but in reality, he was a nervous wreck. 

Hosuh didn’t seem to notice, but then again, he might’ve been more nervous than Stephen.

He didn’t see why. There was no chance Ivu was going to say no, but Jo? The two had barely been dating for a year.

Sure, he saved him from drowning and Jo saved him from IKEA, but marriage? Maybe it was too soon. 

He knew it would be perfectly reasonable for Jo to say no, hell, it was the expected reaction. 

But he also knew that if he  _ did  _ say no, he would be crushed. The idea of making himself so vulnerable and to be rejected at that point made him shudder.

He would never admit it, but he was terrified of his emotions. He was terrified of rejection. That’s why he took so long to ask Jo out in the first place.

But that wasn’t important. What was important was his proposal plan. He and Hosuh made a pact to propose at 8:00. How they did so was up to them, but knowing Hosuh he’d probably come up with something really romantic.

Stephen on the other hand, well… His best experience with romance was playing a KFC dating simulator. Oh, DDLC too, but that was more scary than romantic. Granted, the KFC one was pretty scary too.

Wait, why was he thinking about weird dating simulators? God, he really was nervous.

He pulled out the ring. It was nice. A simple, silver band. Hosuh judged it to be something Jo would like, and Stephen had to agree. 

He started to think about exactly  _ how  _ he would ask for Jo’s hand in marriage. 

He thought of several, admittedly ridiculous ideas, before deciding just to get food and propose afterwards.

But what to order…?

His thoughts were racing so much that he nearly missed his stop. Luckily, he managed to get off at Jo’s usual stop.

He decided to pick up some Olive Garden on the way.

It took him about five minutes to reach Jo’s apartment. He knocked on the door, “Jo? It’s me. Can I come in?” He asked.

“Give me a second!” He called.

He quickly answered the door, “Oh! Hey, babe. What are you doing here?” He asked.

Stephen laid a hand on the back of his neck, embarrassed, “What? Am I not allowed to surprise my boyfriend? I brought Olive Garden,” He said, holding up the bag of carry out.

Jo smiled his million dollar smile, “Aw, thanks Stephen! What’s the occasion?” He asked.

He looked away, “Oh, just- It’s nothing. Do you have any good movies we could watch?” He asked.

He looked a little suspicious, “Ookay? Movies? Why don’t we just binge My Hero Academia?” He asked.

Stephen grinned, “You see, this- This is why I love you,” He said.

Jo rolled his eyes, “You’re easy to please,” He said.

He was offended, “Excuse me? Stephen has the highest standards!” He said.

Jo laughed, “Clearly not, you decided to date me,” He said.

Stephen wasn’t amused, “Don’t talk like that. You’re perfect,” He said.

He blushed, “Let’s eat,” He said, changing the subject.

The two of them sat down at the table and began eating their pasta. 

Jo started talking about his next art project. Even though Stephen had no idea what he was talking about, he was content to listen to his animated ramble.

He stared at him for a while, drinking in every detail. The way his curls framed his face, the sprinkle of freckles across his nose, his cute blush, everything about him was perfect.

It took awhile for Jo to notice Stephen staring, but he smirked when he did, “Enjoying the view?” He asked.

Stephen turned scarlet, “I- Uh- I- No! That’s crazy! You’re crazy!” He stuttered.

Jo laughed, “We’ve been dating for a year, Stephen. You don’t need to gay panic every time I flirt with you,” He said.

Stephen crossed his arms, “Well, it’s hard not to when I’m flirting with the second sexiest man alive,” He said.

Jo went beet red, and Stephen gave a smirk that said,  _ I don’t care what it takes. I refuse to be the bottom in this relationship. _

After a minute, he managed to recover, “I’m not sexy, Emily is,” He teased, remembering the embarrassing story from Stephen’s childhood.

Stephen groaned and buried his head in his hands, “Oh god, don’t invoke her name,” He said.

The two laughed and the tension was broken. They chatted about random things until they were done with dinner. 

When they were finished eating, the conversation lapsed into an uncomfortable silence.

The ring weighed heavily in Stephen’s pocket. If there was any time to propose, now was his chance.

He opened his mouth, prepared to pop the question.

Instead, this came out, “So, do you wanna go watch My Hero Academia now?”

Jo grinned, “Sure,” He went to go turn on the TV.

Stephen followed behind him. He was smiling, but dying on the inside. Did he really just chicken out? He? The fabulous Stephen?  
Jo turned on a random episode and immediately leaned on his shoulder as he sat down.

Stephen blushed a bit, “Jo,” He mumbled, not sure if it was a complaint or not.

“You’re comfy, Stephie,” He said.

Stephen didn’t know how to feel about that nickname. A smirk played on his lips as he thought of an even better one, “You can lay on me whenever you want, Kitten,” He said. (GET IT? BECAUSE HE’S JOCAT? NO I’M NOT DONE, THANKS FOR ASKING!)

Jo turned as red as a tomato and looked up at him, “Stephen, I love you, but I’m not letting you top me after just eating my weight in pasta and binge watching My Hero Academia,” He said.

Stephen shrugged, “Suit yourself,” He said.

(Sorry, I couldn’t resist. What can I say? Stephen’s a horny boy.)

Silence fell again, and he couldn’t help but feel his nerves rising again. How was he supposed to do this? Should he just do it now before Jo falls asleep. Or should he wait-

You know what? Fuck it! Stephen was just going to get it over with!  
He stood bolt upright, surprising Jo out of his sleepy stupor, “Stephen, what-” He began.

He got down on one knee and pulled out the ring, “WillYouMarryMe?” He asked, speaking almost too fast to comprehend. 

Jo was shocked, “What?” He asked.

Stephen took a breath and spoke more concisely, “Will. You. Marry. Me?” He asked.

Jo looked like a cow hit by a shovel, “S-Seriously? Oh my god, oh my god. I- Don’t- I- What- Don’t- Words- N-No,” He said.

Stephen heard the no and his face fell. He laughed painfully, “Oh. I understand. Yeah, I figured it was too soon. That’s okay, I- I’ll leave you alone,” He said, starting to put the ring away.

Jo’s eyes widened, “Shit! Did I say no? I meant yes!” He yelped.

Stephen was so surprised by that reply, he nearly dropped the ring, “Wh-What are you saying?” He asked.

“I- Marry- You- Really-” He stuttered.

Stephen put a hand on his shoulder, “It’s okay, take your time,” He encouraged.

Jo took a deep breath, “Yes. I absolutely want to marry you,” He said.

He gasped, “You do? Really? But- I figured you would think it’s too soon,” He said.

He shook his head, “Stephen, you don’t get it. Do you have any idea how much I want to marry you? To spend the rest of my life with you? To adopt a couple of cute kiddos and start a family?” He asked.

Stephen laughed nervously, “N-Not until now, no,” He said.

“Well I do. More than anything,” He said. 

“How do you just say things like that?” He asked, mystified.

Jo shrugged, “Because I love you,” He said, as if it was obvious, “What do you mean?”

Stephen sighed, “I’m bad at emotions, okay?” He admitted.

Jo’s eyes widened, “The great Stephen is admitting to being  _ bad  _ at something? Is that a flying pig I see?” He asked, pointing out of the window.

Stephen glared at him, “Shut up, Jo. I’m trying to open up to you,” He said.

Jo waved him on encouragingly, “No, no, keep going. The floor is yours,” He said.

He sighed, “Anyways. I haven’t always been this confident, believe it or not. I- I used to have someone in my life who constantly made me feel worthless. I’m not going to lie, after a while, I started to think they were right. After all, no matter what I did to try to make him realize I was valuable, he never respected me. If it weren’t for Hosuh and Gavin, I don’t know where I’d be today,” He said.

Jo sucked in a breath at the last statement.

Stephen’s eyes widened, “That’s not what I meant! I never would’ve done that! Jeez, Jo. Do you have no faith in me?” He asked.

He was annoyed, “What was I supposed to think when you phrased it like that?” He demanded.

“Whatever. Anyways, I realized that he would never see me as anything worth respecting, so I left him. It hurt both of us a lot. I- I guess I was just afraid that I would get hurt again,” He admitted.

Jo took his hand, “I understand that it must be scary, but just know that I would never do anything like that to you,” He said.

Stephen nodded, “I know,” He said, “I just- I forget sometimes,”

“Wh-What can I do to help you?” He asked.

He smiled, “You already are. Just- Stay with me?” He asked.

Jo cuddled close to him, “Always,”

And so the two spent the rest of the night on the couch, binge watching My Hero Academia until they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

_ A/N: Sorry about the drama. Hope you enjoyed, dr34mie! _


	4. Sick (Cancer AU)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AU: Ivu is a terminal cancer patient, Hosuh is a volunteer at the children's hospital. They know what will ahppen if they fall in love with each other, but can't make themselves stay away. I give you the sads. I’m sorry for this.

Hosuh didn’t originally want to volunteer at the children’s hospital. He was always shy and antisocial. He needed his best friend, Stephen, to drag him out to parties and stuff. 

He planned on volunteering at the senior center or somewhere else like everyone else, but Stephen insisted on the children’s hospital and Hosuh was never one to initiate conflict.

Don’t get him wrong, it wasn’t like he didn’t think cheering up sick kids was a bad thing, on the contrary, he admired everyone who did so. But the work wasn’t for him. 

Stephen would be great at it, but Hosuh? He never knew what to say to make people feel better.

Regardless, he showed up with Stephen at their first day of volunteer work.

He expected to meet and try to cheer up a bunch of sick kids. He expected to stick with Stephen the entire time.

The one thing he did  _ not  _ expect was to run into an angel in the hallway.

“Ah!” He yelped as they both fell to the floor.

The two of them briefly locked eyes, and any English Hosuh knew died in his throat. Because the girl in front of him was the most breathtaking thing he had ever seen.

She had silver hair, and heterochromic eyes. One was blue and one was gray. The expression on her face was one of slight shock, “Ow,” She mumbled.

Her voice broke the spell and Hosuh began to panic, “Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry, are you okay?” He asked.

She nodded, “Yeah, I think so,” She said.

He got up and offered a hand to help her up. She took it and the two’s eyes met again.

Hosuh was mesmerized, “What’s your name?” He asked.

“Ivu Zerinchii,” She said eventually, “What’s yours?”

“Hosuh Lee. Are you sure you’re okay? You hit your head pretty hard,” He said.

She sighed, “I’m fine. No more dying than I was before,” She said.

Hosuh’s eyes widened, “Dying? You mean you’re-”

“A terminal cancer patient? Yes. If you want to make a big deal out of it, the door’s over there,” She said, crossing her arms defensively.

Hosuh held his hands up in surrender, “No, no, no. I get it. I wouldn’t want a random stranger to treat me like I’m made of glass either. Still, I feel bad about running into you like that. Would you mind if I walked you back to your room?” He asked.

She shrugged, “Do what you want. It’s a free country,” She said.

The two began walking down the hallway, Ivu leading the way. 

Hosuh found that he felt oddly comfortable around this mystery girl, “So… What’s your favorite food?” He asked.

She frowned, “What?” 

He blushed a bit, “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. I just- I want to know more about you,” He said.

Her expression softened a bit, “Matcha Ice Cream. I haven’t had any since I was admitted into this place though,” She said.

His eyes widened, “That’s my favorite flavor too!”

The tension between them diffused a bit.

“What’s your favorite color?” Ivu asked, “Mine’s pale blue,” She said.

His eyes widened, “No way! Mine too! Light purple is close second,” He said.

Ivu stared at him incredulously, “We have so much in common. It’s almost suspicious… What’s your favorite hobby?” She asked.

“Drawing,” Hosuh answered.

She frowned, “Okay. How are you doing that? Are you reading my mind or something?” She asked.

He shook his head, “No, why?”

“Because I love to draw too!” She exclaimed.

Hosuh was amazed. How could the two have so much in common? They just met! It was almost like they were soulmates or something. 

For a second, he could see a glimpse of a softer version of the hardened girl in front of him. She giggled, giving him a genuine smile before her face clouded over.

“I should go. My room’s right here,” She said.

“Wait!” Hosuh cried without thinking.

She turned around, “What is it?”

Well, too late to back out now.

Gathering his courage, he asked, “Can I get your number?”

She looked uncomfortable, “Uh,”

Hosuh immediately backpedaled, “You don’t have to give it to me if you don’t want to. I understand if you don’t. It’s al-”

“No!” She blurted, “No. You can have it. Here, I’ll write it down,” She said, going into her room and coming out with a small scrap of paper.

Ivu handed it to him, “Stay in touch, if that’s what you want,” She said, still managing to sound distant.

He stared at her, unable to talk, as she walked into her room.

He stood there for a while, not sure what just happened. Did he really just talk to the most beautiful girl he had ever seen? He looked down at the scrap of paper she handed him. His heart fluttered in his chest. God, even her handwriting was perfect.

Hosuh’s anxiety kicked in and he hurried back to where he knew Stephen was waiting for him. He needed to do the job he came to do, cheer up sick kids.

For weeks after that, he tried to get up the courage to text the girl he met that day. His anxiety always talked him out of it. Telling him that she only liked the idea of him. That she wouldn't like the real him and there was no point trying. He convinced himself that it was better he just didn’t talk to her again. Better that than embarrassing himself and ending up heartbroken.

So he continued his volunteer work until it was done, and Hosuh nearly convinced himself that he forgot about Ivu.

At least, during the day. At night, her multicolored eyes and angelic smile haunted his dreams.

One night, he woke up crying after a particularly vivid dream. It was about 1 AM. His brain, for once, was completely quiet as he opened his phone.

He entered in her number and hovered over the button, wondering if he should call her or not.

Maybe it was a bad idea. He remembered her saying that she was terminal. Maybe she- No. She wasn’t dead. He refused to believe it.

Taking a deep breath, he made the call.

The phone rang once.

Twice.

Three times.

Just as he thought she wasn’t going to answer, she picked up the phone, “Hello?”  
The voice on the other end was exactly the one he remembered. Sweet but quiet. Inconspicuous.

Hosuh’s nerves returned, but he swallowed them. Too late to back out now, “Hi. It’s Hosuh, from before. Do you want to go get ice cream?” He asked, remembering what she said about loving the Matcha flavor.

She was surprised, “Hosuh? I thought you- Nevermind. The Hospital doesn’t let me out of here unless it’s an emergency. And I’m going to go out on a limb and say that ice cream doesn’t count as an emergency,” She pointed out.

Hosuh flushed, “Y-You don’t have to if you don’t want to. It’s okay, I under-” 

“Are you kidding? Of course I want to get out of here! Don’t worry. I know a way out,” She said.

His eyes widened, “Really? Okay. Meet me by the 24 Hour Gas Station,” He said.

“Alright,” She agreed, “See you there,” 

She hung up and Hosuh slowly put down the phone and grinned. He just scored an ice cream date with the most wonderful girl he’d ever seen!

He immediately blushed. Not date! Not date! Just a couple of friends hanging out.

Nevermind. He grabbed a homemade pair of gloves and a hat, and after a moment of thinking, grabbed a second pair for Ivu. He didn’t know if she had any, and it was cold outside.

Hosuh didn’t tell anyone, but he liked to sew in the vast amount of free time he had. Stephen was the only one who knew, and that was because he was a regular recipient of the many hats and mittens he churned out.

He carefully snuck out of the backdoor and headed to the gas station. It took him exactly fifteen minutes to get there on foot. By the time he reached the store, Ivu was already there.

He waved awkwardly, his anxiety returning in full force, “H-Hi!” He called.

She was wearing a mask, but she seemed to be happy, “I-It’s nice to s-see you again,” She said through chattering teeth.

When Hosuh got closer, he was concerned to see that she not only wasn’t wearing a hat or gloves, but she didn’t even have a coat.

“You must be freezing! Here. I brought you a hat and gloves,” He said.

She took them gratefully, “Thank you. Did you make these?” She asked.

Hosuh blushed in embarrassment, “I- I- Yeah. I don’t really get out much,” He admitted.

She laughed, “You don’t have to be embarrassed. I’m not the type of person to make fun of a guy who likes to sew. Cancer really puts stuff like that in perspective,” She said.

He stiffened, “Yeah. How long have you…”

“Been terminal? Since I was diagnosed when I was eight. I only got a permanent stay in the hospital suite six months ago though,” She said.

Hosuh frowned, “Are you- When?” He managed.

She shrugged, “Who knows. It could be tomorrow, it could be in ten years. Terminal doesn’t necessarily mean imminent doom, but my case isn’t going well. I just want to enjoy the time I have left, you know? Now let’s not talk about this anymore. I’ll wait out here if you don’t mind. Stores are kind of a no no for immunocompromised people,” She said.

He nodded, “No, no, of course! I get it. Be right back,” He said, walking into the store.

He contemplated her words as he bought two tubs of Matcha ice cream and a thing of plastic spoons. Even though he didn’t know her very well yet, the idea of her dying soon made him sad. It wasn’t fair! She was so young.

Still, he said nothing more about it as he met Ivu outside. No doubt, she didn’t want to talk about it, and definitely didn’t want to be treated differently because of it.

Hosuh decided to put the entire matter out of his mind and just enjoy the moment, “Hey. I know a nice park around here. Do you want to go?” He asked.

She nodded, “Sure. We can eat our ice cream there,” She said, staring hungrily at the containers. Hosuh couldn’t blame her. He couldn’t imagine spending so long without access to decent ice cream.

The two headed to Silver Lake Park, a modest but pretty park about a quarter mile from the gas station. It took about ten minutes for the two to get there. 

When they did, they found an old park bench and sat down. Hosuh, without thinking, opened Ivu’s ice cream for her and handed her a spoon.

She took a spoonful of ice cream and stared at it for a minute, she looked at Hosuh, “I don’t have any money. I’ll have to pay you back,” She said.

He shook his head, “It’s fine. This is my treat,” He said, “Now eat it before it melts,” 

She looked content with that answer and ate the spoonful of ice cream. Hosuh dug into his own container and they began eating ice cream in the winter air, because why not?

“It’s a beautiful night,” Hosuh commented.

“Mm,” Ivu replied through a mouthful of ice cream. 

A silence fell upon the two. Ivu was busy eating and Hosuh wasn’t sure whether he should break it or not.

He decided against it and stared at the lake. He had always been fascinated by the smooth, glassy surface. It was frozen over now, of course, but he still couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like to sink through the warm, silent void, watching his whole existence fade away in bubbles.

Ivu’s voice startled him out of his thoughts.

“Penny for your thoughts?” She asked.

Hosuh jumped, “H-Huh? Oh. It’s nothing,” He said.

She frowned, “Don’t give me that. Something’s wrong. You’re staring at the lake like it knows all of the secrets of the universe,” She said.

He was embarrassed, but decided to confide in his new friend, “If you don’t mind me asking, how do you feel about your- condition?” He asked, cringing at the insensitivity of his question.

She sighed, “I don’t know. I’ve kinda just accepted it at this point. I’m not scared,” She said.

He nodded, “Yeah, I was- I was wondering what it would be like to drown,” He admitted.

Instead of being freaked out, like Hosuh expected, Ivu took his question in stride, “Probably not fun. Suffocation’s hardly a good way to go,” She said, “Why?”  
He looked away, “Nevermind, it’s nothing,” He said.

“Aw, come on. Share your deepest secrets with me, Hosuh. There’s no one I can tell,” She said, “Please?”

Hosuh couldn’t say no to that expression, “I- I know this must sound stupid to someone who’s actually dying. You must have learned to appreciate life from a young age. But I’ve been struggling with… bad thoughts for a long time,” He said. 

She shook her head, “You’re not stupid, Hosuh. Just because I don’t understand doesn’t make it any less valid. Did you- Are you-” She wasn’t sure how to phrase her question.

Hosuh stared at the ground, “It was a long time ago. I don’t know what I was thinking. If it wasn’t for Stephen, I don’t know where I’d be right now,” He said.

Ivu’s brows furrowed, “What is Stephen to you?” She asked.

A faint smile crossed his face, “He’s the reason I wake up every morning,” He said.

Her face fell slightly, “O-Oh. I get it. I didn’t realize-”  
Hosuh turned bright pink, “No! I- I don’t like him like that. He’s my best friend and I love him, but not in a romantic way,” He said.

She looked slightly relieved, “Oh. Sorry about that. I shouldn’t have assumed,” She said.

Hosuh shook his head, “You’re fine,” He noticed a little bit of ice cream on her cheek, “Oh. You’ve got a little something on your cheek,” He said.

She frowned, “Where?”

“Right there,” He said, wiping the food off of her face.

She gave him a look, and he realized what he just did, “I- I- Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean- I-” He groaned, putting his head in his hands.

She laughed, “Hosuh, that was actually really sweet. Don’t worry about it,” She said.

He looked up, “Really?”  
She nodded, “Yeah. It’s fine. You’re really insecure, aren’t you?”

He laughed uncomfortably, “Wh-What makes you say that?”

She smiled, “You know you have nothing to be insecure about, right?” She asked.

He blushed, “Thank you,” 

The two of them looked up at the sky to see that it was snowing. A flake fell on Hosuh’s nose and melted on contact. Hosuh sneezed.

Ivu giggled, “You sneeze like a kitten,” She said.

He blushed, “I do not!”

An intense silence fell upon the two of them.

They locked eyes and began unconsciously moving closer. Hosuh could feel Ivu’s warm breath on his skin, and he suddenly became  _ very  _ aware of how close they were. 

Still, he didn’t do anything to break the closeness.

The two were practically nose to nose at this point, and Hosuh’s thoughts were going crazy. At this point, not even he could deny the feelings he had. Still, they were more intense than he was used to, so intense that it was overwhelming. 

He couldn’t move, hell, he could barely breathe.

Surprisingly, Ivu was the one to break the spell. 

She suddenly jerked back, her expression completely guarded, “I should be getting back. My parents will kill me if they find out about this,” She said.

Hosuh nodded, “Yeah, I- I should be getting home too,” 

He couldn’t help but grieve for the lost moment as he waved goodbye to Ivu.

“I had a good time tonight,” She said.

He smiled, “Me too,”

It was true. He’d never felt more comfortable around a stranger before. And there was definitely a connection that he didn’t feel with Stephen.

Ivu looked like she was trying not to cry, “We shouldn’t do this again, though,” She said.

Hosuh nodded, trying not to betray his hurt, “Okay. Goodbye, Ivu,”

“Thank you, Hosuh,” She whispered before running away, trying to hide her tears.

Hosuh went home and tried to fall asleep. Unfortunately for him, his brain wasn’t letting him. He felt like a part of him was almost missing when he wasn’t with Ivu. Her face was burned into his memory. The guarded but soft eyes that couldn’t help but make you stare.

Once he was sure he could, he softly cried.

The next morning, Stephen was concerned about how distant Hosuh was acting. He gave a vague excuse, and generally avoided him throughout the day. 

Time passed, and the two of them did nothing but think about each other. They both wanted to see each other again, but convinced themselves that the other didn’t.

Eventually, something had to give.

With a promise to herself that it would be the last time, Ivu decided to meet Hosuh at the park again.

They picked off where they left off and became closer at an alarming rate.

No matter how many times Ivu promised herself that tonight would be the last night, it never was.

They met at that park as many times as they could. Even though Ivu knew she had to stay away, she couldn’t do it.

Try as she might, the two always met again at that park bench. They were drawn to each other like moths to a flame, and neither could resist the temptation of the other.

It got to the point where they stopped trying to stop. They decided to just enjoy what time they had at Silver Lake Park.

Months passed, and their meetings became more and more frequent. They spent every spare moment texting each other. You could say that they became addicted to the other’s presence. 

As those months passed, it wasn’t lost on Hosuh how much weaker Ivu was getting. Pretty soon, she couldn’t walk anymore.

Did that stop the park meetings? Ha! Oh, ye of little faith.

When Ivu got too weak to walk, Hosuh snuck into her room and carried her to the park bench.

All was relatively well… Until one clear night.

Hosuh was carrying Ivu, but she seemed weaker than normal. He asked if they should skip out on tonight and let her get her rest, but she begged him to take her.

Her breathing was worryingly shallow, but she insisted they keep going. Instead of sitting her down on her side of the bench, he decided to keep her on his lap. He was worried she would fall if she tried to sit by herself.

Ivu was staring at the sky, “What a beautiful blue moon,” She whispered.

Hosuh nodded and relaxed a bit, “It’s really bright tonight,” He replied.

“It almost- Doesn’t feel real. These last months haven’t felt real,” She admitted.

He agreed, “Yeah, they- They haven’t felt very real to me either,” He said.

“Hosuh, I… I’m sorry,” She said.

He was confused, “Sorry? What for?” He asked.

“Every-thing. I promised myself going into this that I- I wouldn’t let myself get too close to you. But for some reason I- I couldn’t help but fall in love with you,” She confessed.

Hosuh felt all of the air leave his lungs, "Wh-What?” He managed.

She laughed weakly, “It’s true. I tried to stay away, but- I couldn’t help it. No matter how hard I tried, I just kept falling in love. And now look at me- I’m breaking your heart. Because I’m selfish, and I’m weak, and I can’t stop falling for you,” She said, “So I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I couldn’t- I couldn’t be stronger,” She said.

“Shut up,” Hosuh growled, a rare anger in his voice.

Ivu was shocked, “Wha-”

“I said SHUT UP! Don’t you dare apologize! Don’t you dare!” He snapped.

“But, why?” She asked.

“No one should ever have to apologize for being human. And you want to know something, Iv?” He paused before saying, “I love you too,”

Her eyes widened then filled with tears, “This shouldn’t have happened, Hos,” She said.

He shook his head, “Ivu, you don’t get it. These last few months have been the best time of my life. I wouldn’t trade them for anything,” He said.

A tear rolled down her cheek, “I- I don’t have much time left. We both know that,” She said.

Hosuh’s eyes filled with tears, “Don’t talk like that! You’re still here, aren’t you? Well?”

She nodded, “Y-Yeah. I am,” She said.

“Then let me love you!” He begged.

She inhaled sharply, “B-But Hosuh-” She began.

“Please,” His voice was soft, “Even if it’s just for tonight. Will you be mine?”

Ivu nodded through her tears, “Yes. I- I’m yours,” She decided.

Hosuh smiled, “Then may I have this dance, my lady?” He asked.

“But my legs don’t work, and there’s no music,” She pointed out.

“We’ll figure it out,” He said, scooping her up and twirling her around.

She giggled softly and buried her face in Hosuh’s shoulder. He smiled, “I’ll help you stand,” He positioned Ivu so she was standing on his feet and holding onto his neck.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and slowly began to sway to his own, off key hummed waltz.

They danced around the lake, the bright moonlight illuminating them and casting their shadows onto the water. It almost appeared as if their silhouettes were dancing on the lake. 

Without warning, Ivu’s legs gave out and she collapsed forward. 

The two were suddenly nose to nose, and this time, Hosuh closed the distance and they were locked in a sweet, passionate kiss.

Tears spilled down both of their faces as they kissed. The moment was truly magical, and neither wanted it to end.

Unfortunately, breathing was a necessity that neither could avoid. Ivu’s lips curled into a smile before she pulled away. 

They stared into each other’s eyes for a long time.

“I love you,” Hosuh whispered.

“I love you too. I wish we could be together,” She replied.

Hosuh nodded, “So do I,” He said.

“But we can’t. You know that, Hosie-Pie,” She said.

“I know,” He said, “But I still have you for the night,”

Ivu’s eyes were far away, “Hosuh, I don’t want to go,” She whispered, “I want to be with you forever,”

“Then stay. Stay with me,” He pleaded.

She shook her head, “I- I can’t. Tonight- It’s the last night,” She said.

Hosuh stayed silent for a long time before nodding, “Then we should make the most of the moonlight while we still have it,” He said.

“Can we sit down? I want to see the stars,” She said.

Hosuh immediately helped her lay on the bench, her head on his lap. She smiled at the sky, “L-Look, it’s so pretty,” She said.

“Mm,” He nodded, looking up at the plentiful stars.

A long silence passed between them before Ivu spoke again, “Hosuh, can I tell you something?” She asked.

“You can tell me anything, Iv,” He said.

“I think I’m dying,” She whispered.

Hosuh was alarmed, “What?! Why didn’t you say something sooner? We have to get to the hospital!” He cried.

Ivu grabbed his hand, “No. There’s no point,” She said.

He wasn’t budging, “There has to be something they can do. You can’t die on me!” He insisted.

She shook her head, “Hosuh, please. I don’t want to go back there. Just- Let me have this,” She pleaded.

His eyes filled with tears, “Are you sure there’s nothing we can do?”

She nodded, “Yes, I- I think it’s time,” She said.

“But why? Why do you have to go? You- I finally have you, and now- Now you’re leaving,” He said.

Ivu nodded, “I know. It’s not fair, and I’m sorry for that,” She said.

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Hosuh replied firmly.

She smiled, “You want to know something, Hos? What I said about not being scared of death, wasn’t true. The truth is I- I’m terrified of death,” She said, “I know I can’t get out of this, but- I don’t want to die alone. So, please- I have to ask you one more thing. Can you promise to stay with me- Until the end?” She asked.

Hosuh nodded, “I promise, Iv. I won’t let you go,” He said.

Tears were now flowing freely down her face, “But you have to someday. When I’m gone. I want you to be happy, Hosie-Pie,” She said.

He choked back a sob, “I- I don’t know how. How can I be happy without you?” He asked.

She squeezed his hand, “It’s going to take a lot of time, but I know you can do it. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for,” She said.

“I’m not strong,” He said.

“You are,” She insisted.

“I don’t want to live without you, Iv,” He whispered.

“I know, Ho-Ho. But you have to. Promise me that you’ll try. L-Live for me?” She asked. 

After a moment of hesitation, he nodded, “Okay. I- I promise I’ll try,” He said, “For you,”

“Thank you,” She whispered, closing her eyes.

Hosuh’s heart leapt into his throat, “Iv? Ivu?! Are you still here?” He asked.

She nodded, “Y-Yeah. I’m trying to stay for you, Hosie,” She said.

He exhaled, “Good,” He said.

“C-Can we not do goodbyes? I’ve always hated them,” She asked.

Hosuh nodded, “I’ve never liked them either,” He agreed.

She chuckled weakly, “W-Wow. You really are the one for me, Hosie-Pie,” She said.

He managed a watery smile, “How about instead of goodbyes, we do see you in 70 years?” He asked.

“See you in 70 years?” She echoed, “I- I like it. See you in 70 years, Ho-Ho,” She said

“Thank you, Ivu. For everything,” He said.

She smiled, “Thank you too, Hosuh,” She said, “I… Love… You…”

Her grip on his hand went limp and Hosuh could only watch as she breathed her last. 

1…

2… 

3…

She exhaled one last time, the warmth of her breath hitting Hosuh’s skin before the night became unbearably cold.

“Ivu…?” He asked, his voice shaking.

She didn’t reply. Her skin was already so cold.

“Ivu?!” He cried, shaking her lifeless form, “Come on! Stay with me! You can’t leave me! Not yet! The night’s not over yet!” He begged.

It was only then that he noticed the sun peaking over the horizon. The night was over.

His whole body began to shake, tears spilling down his cheeks. His first love, his true love, died in his arms. She was gone. He was never going to talk to her again.

Never going to eat ice cream with her again.

Never going to watch the stars with her again.

Never.

Never.

Never.

Ivu Zerinchii, the angel he met that day, was gone.

“IVU!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy. That was some angst right there. Don’t worry, this isn’t canon to anything. I promise Ivu will be back in the next chapter. Speaking of, I also have some Jophen angst in the works, so look forward to that. Thank you all for reading and especially dr34mie for commenting. Bye!


	5. Sacrifice

"Happy Anniversary!” 

Stephen and Jo clinked their glasses in celebration of their wedding anniversary. They were eating at the nicest restaurant in town. 

Stephen grinned at his husband, “So, when can we go buy a kid?” He asked.

Jo gave him a strange look, “We’ve only been married for a year, Stephen. Don’t you think that would be moving a little fast?” He asked, “Also, can you not refer to the adoption process as ‘Buying a kid’?”

He waved him off, “Potato, Potahto. And we only dated for a year before we got married. Why should  _ adopting _ a kid be any different. Hosuh and Ivu already got Jay. Why not us?” He pointed. 

Jo sighed, “Because unlike us, Hosuh and Ivu are a functional couple who are emotionally and financially stable enough to support a child. We fulfill none of those requirements,” He said. 

Stephen pouted, “But I’m a teacher, Jo. I can handle a kid,” He protested.

“Exactly. A teacher and an artist. Two of the  _ lowest  _ paying jobs you can get. I’m serious Stephen, we can barely support ourselves in this economy, let alone a kid. Let’s not talk about this now, we’re supposed to be enjoying our anniversary,” Jo replied.

He rolled his eyes, “Fine. But seriously, do you want to have a kid someday?” He asked.

Jo nodded slowly, “Yes, I do. But not now. I’d rather focus on my career and us if that’s okay. Maybe in a few years,” He said.

Stephen agreed, “That sounds good. For now we can just be the really cool gay uncles,” He said.

Jo laughed, “Cheers to that,” He said.

They clinked their glasses again and the discussion was put behind them.

As the two of them waited for their food to come, they talked about little things. If you asked them about it now, they wouldn’t have remembered what they talked about.

Eventually, the waitress came with their food, “Here you are, gentlemen. I apologize for the wait,” She said.

Jo smiled, “It’s alright. Thank you very much,” He said, taking his plate.

Stephen narrowed his eyes at the waitress. She was way too close to his husband for his liking, “Yeah, thanks,” He said, wrapping an arm around Jo’s shoulder.

She didn’t know what to make out of that reaction, “Uh… Enjoy your food, sirs,” She said, quickly walking away.

Jo was annoyed, “Why do you always do this?”

Stephen shrugged, “What? I have to make sure people know that this is mine,” He said, pinching Jo’s ass.

He yelped, “Ow! Stephen! I am trying to enjoy a nice,  _ non sexualized,  _ anniversary dinner. Don’t ruin this,” He growled.

He laughed, “Sorry. You’re irresistible,”  
Jo rolled his eyes, “Whatever. Let’s eat. I’m starving!”

They dug into their food, which was delicious, and the previous argument was forgotten about.

Stephen noticed that his husband had a bit of food on his chin, “Hey, you’ve got something on your face,” He said.

Jo glared at him, “I swear to god, if you do the ‘it was me’ thing, I’ll strangle you,” He warned.

Stephen rolled his eyes and wiped his face, “Nevermind, I got it,” He said.

Jo actually blushed at that, “That was actually kinda sweet, Stephen,” He said.

“Kinda?” He demanded.

“Fine. That was very sweet. Thank you, Stephen,” He said.

“That’s better,” He said, appeased.

They then ate until they could eat no more. Jo pulled out his wallet to pay, but Stephen stopped him, “My treat, Babe,” He said.

Jo frowned, “You sure? This place is expensive. We could split the tab?” He offered.

“No, no, no. Consider this evening your anniversary present,” He said.

He smiled, “Thank you, Stephen,”  
Stephen grinned, “That right there- That smile is worth every penny,” He said.

Jo blushed, but tried to hide it. Stephen, of course, noticed it right away, “You okay there, Jo? You’re turning red. Are you…  _ sunburnt?”  _ He teased, calling back into memory their first river date.

He turned even redder at the mention of his own oblivious nature, “I’m alright. I think I need some fresh air,” He said.

Stephen’s teasing smirk morphed into an expression of concern, “Are you okay?” He asked.

He nodded, “Yeah, I’ll meet you outside,” He said, kissing Stephen on the cheek and walking away.

He wasn’t sure what came over him. I guess, he was more embarrassed than he thought. He groaned. He would be lucky if Stephen ever let him live this amount of flusteredness down.

Without knowing exactly where he was going, he walked further away than he planned to. He looked around and realized he didn’t recognize his surroundings at all.

He sighed and walked into the nearest alley, not wanting to be in anyone’s way as he figured out how to get back to the restaurant.

He opened his phone and began trying to make the gps app cooperate with him, “Come on,” He mumbled, “Work, you stupid piece of garbage,”

A voice echoed from deep in the alley, “Hey. That’s no way to talk to your phone,”  
Jo’s head snapped up to see a shady looking man walking toward him, “What do you want?” He demanded, trying to stay calm.

“I think I’ll be taking that off your hands, buddy. And maybe your wallet as well,” He said, “I’ll give them a good home,” 

Jo glared at him, “Oh yeah? Or else what?” He demanded without thinking. He really didn’t want to give up his possessions without a fight. What would Stephen think of him then?

The man’s expression turned nasty, and he slammed Jo against the wall, “Or else I’ll gut you like a fucking fish,” He snarled, pulling out a knife. His breath smelled of alcohol and he began to realize that this guy was dangerous.

Jo stared at the knife. Nope! His pride definitely wasn’t worth getting stabbed, “Fine. Take it. My wallet’s in my pocket,” He conceded.

“Heh, heh. That’s a good boy, seeing reason,” He said, taking his phone and wallet, “And while I’m at it, I think I’ll take this too,” He said, making to take Jo’s wedding ring.

Okay, that was one thing he could  _ not  _ afford to lose. The day Stephen proposed was the best day of his life. It was the day that Stephen really confided in him about his insecurities. He couldn’t lose his ring. It was too important.

Without thinking, he shoved the guy away. He stumbled backwards, surprised at Jo’s sudden resistance. He regained his footing quickly, though, and he wasn’t happy, “You little shit,” He growled, rushing him.

Jo was caught off guard, and knocked to the ground with his first punch. He tried to fight back, but the drunk man was too powerful. Soon, he was reduced to protecting his ring while the man beat the shit out of him.

No matter how hard the hits landed, Jo refused to give in. The ring was his most prized possession. It would break Stephen’s heart if he lost it.

Eventually, the guy slammed him against the wall of the building again, holding the knife against his throat this time, “I’m gonna fucking kill you!” He screamed.

Jo chuckled despite it all, “That- That’s cute. You think you’re s-scary. Buddy, I’ve  _ seen  _ scary, and you don’t have his smile,” He said, wincing as the knife nicked his throat.

His eyes widened as he saw a familiar figure behind the man. Was it really…? But how?! He couldn’t believe his eyes. Somehow, Stephen had found him, and by the look on his face, this guy was going to see justice. He grinned.

“Why the hell are you smiling!?” The guy demanded.

“B-Because, Scary- He’s right behind you,” He said.

Just like that, Stephen pounced on the guy, tackling him off of Jo, who fell to the ground.

Jeez, he’d have to scold Stephen about being so reckless later. He very well could’ve accidentally slit Jo’s throat or gotten himself stabbed.

Luckily, he only had the small cut. All of his other bruises and breaks weren’t fatal. And as for Stephen, he seemed to be doing alright. His rage gave him an edge against the guy, who was soon curled in the fetal position and begging for mercy.

Stephen wasn’t done with him yet, “DON’T FUCKING TOUCH JO! YOU HEAR ME? I’M GONNA KILL YOU!” He screamed.

Jo was actually getting concerned. He had never seen Stephen this angry before, and he  _ really _ didn’t want him to kill someone because of him.

“Stephen, stop!” He cried, struggling to his feet.

Stephen didn’t hear him, “DIE!” He screamed again.

“STEPHEN!” Jo shouted at the top of his lungs.

That got through to him. Stephen turned around, and it finally sunk in that taking care of Jo was more important than beating up the guy who hurt him.

With one more punch, the guy was knocked out. Jo’s knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground.

Stephen rushed to Jo, “Are you okay?! Did he- Oh my god! I should’ve been here sooner. Why didn’t you just give him what he wanted?” He babbled.

Stephen wrapped Jo’s arm around his shoulder, but he refused, “I’m fine, Stephen. I can walk on my own,” He said.

“Fine, my ass! You look like you’ve been through a meat grinder. Well, at least he didn’t stab you,” He said.

Jo winced, remembering the near slitting of his throat. Stephen’s eyes narrowed, “Jo? What are you not telling me?” He asked.

Well, telling him wouldn’t do too much. It wasn’t that big of a deal. He pointed at the scratch on his neck, “It’s fine, he barely scratched me, see?” He said.

Stephen’s eyes widened and his breath came out in shuddering gasps, “Oh- Oh my god! You- Oh my god!” He said, carefully tracing the small cut.

“Stephen, it’s fine. It doesn’t even hurt,” He reassured him.

“Why? Why did you risk yourself like that?” He demanded.

Jo looked away, “I gave him my phone and wallet, but he- He tried to take my ring. I couldn’t lose it. It means too much to you,” He said.

Stephen was outraged, “Are you serious?! You almost died, Jo! What do you think would’ve happened to me if you died?” He demanded.

“I- I’m sorry. It was the first time you ever opened up to me. It’s special. I didn’t want to lose it,” He said.

He shook his head, “Jo, I need you to listen to me. That ring, hell no possession in the world, will ever be more important to me than your life. You- You really scared me, you know. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you,” He said.

Jo felt guilty, “I know, I’m sorry. But I really am fine. Just a little roughed up. He didn’t actually stab me or any-” He broke off suddenly, looking behind him out of instinct.

To his horror, he saw that the guy wasn’t unconscious, and was preparing to throw the knife at Stephen.

Before he could get out a warning, before he could even react, the knife was airborne. Without thinking, he threw himself in front of Stephen, doing his best to shove him out of the way.

Stephen, caught by surprise, stumbled back. The knife the guy threw sunk into Jo’s chest.

Now that his weapon was gone, he ran off. 

Jo looked over at Stephen, clutching his chest, “Ste-phen,” He whispered, collapsing.

Stephen caught him and sunk down to the ground, staring in shock at the knife planted in his chest, “J-Jo?  _ Jo? _ ” He whispered in a shaky voice, disbelief and horror in his eyes.

Jo smiled shakily, “H-Hey, it’s- okay. You’re okay,” He said.

“N-No… No!” He cried, “Jo! Stay with me!” 

“I- I can’t. I’m sor-orry,” He said.

Stephen glared at him, “Don’t apologize! Don’t you dare! You’re gonna be okay, you hear me?” He demanded.

Jo shook his head, “Stephen, I- I can’t see,” He said.

Stephen was getting desperate, “No! Please! Don’t leave me!” He begged.

Jo felt tears pouring out of his eyes, “I- I have to- ‘M so sorry,” He said.

Stephen felt sobs shake his entire body, “Wh-What were you thinking, you idiot?!” He asked.

Jo smiled through his tears, “I l-love you, Ste-phen. C-Couldn’t let him hu-urt you,” He said.

Stephen slammed his fist into the concrete, “Dammit! Why? Why are you doing this to me?” He demanded.

Jo shook his head, “I- I never wanted to hurt you. I can’t- I can’t breathe,” He gasped through the blood filling his lungs.

Stephen screamed, “No! Breathe! Breathe, please! Come on! Open your eyes! Jo! JO!” 

He smiled, a line of blood trickling out of his mouth, “I lo- I love you. Goodbye… Stephen,” He said.

And with that, his grip on Stephen’s hand went slack and his body stilled.

Stephen’s eyes widened, “NO! Nonononono! JO! Please! Stay with me! Jo!  _ JO! _ ” He begged.

Tears streamed down his cheeks as he held him close, “J-Jo…” He whispered.

He needed Jo to open his eyes. He needed his words of comfort and beautiful smile.

But there would be no more smiles. 

No more comfort.

No more laughter.

No more Jo.

The person Stephen loved more than anything else in the world was gone. 

Now, Jo, the love of his life, was just a memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I think that’s quite enough angst for me. I’ll make up for it in the next chapter, don’t worry. Thanks to everyone who’s reading this!


End file.
